“Not yet,” I replied. “This is tougher than I thought. I’ve looked at philosophers, scholars, soldiers, and leaders. I need someone who is all this and more.”

“Of course, I have every confidence in your abilities to find an outstanding vice president. However, on another note, I have a plan for taking on your, ehem, competition.”

“Really?” My eyebrow arched at his comment.

“Of course, these other candidates are resorting to dirty, underhanded, sneaky tricks to get at their opponents, so we have something for them.”“A present?” I asked.

“That’s what it looks like.” The headmaster of the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning let a bit of a wicked smile cross his face. “We’ll address these to our distinguished competition from their loyal fans. Once they open the box—”

I grinned as the banana cream pie sprung out of the box like a delicious and deadly jack-in-the-box.